Thread: strop in mail, alternatives?

Hello! my razor came in the mail today and unfortunately MY STROP IS NOT HERE YET!
I just heard of someone using newspaper and other seemingly random things such as denim to strop with.
Is this true? What are the pros and cons of these alternatives? Will using a newspaper do any damage to the razor?
I'd prefer to have all the facts before I even go looking for the good news lol

Fold up a newspaper in a 3" section and rest it on the side of a table, I have also stropped on a clean pair of jeans while wearing them (sitting down stropping on my thigh)
Both work well.
Eric

This isn't working too well. I probably should have mentioned that I've never stropped before and am deathly afraid of ruining my edge. I'm still trying to figure out how to flip the blade with my fingers properly. I can't seem to get either the paper of the pants to be FLAT so that I can even get the hang of it. Oh man.

Practice stropping with a butter knife, if your razor was honed and is shave ready it shouldnt require stropping before your first shave.
As long as you flip the razor the correct way and use very little pressure you shouldnt do any damage to the blade.

Here is another way to use newspaper

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=lGVNb...%3DlGVNbMvvOJI

There are a huge number of threads containing hints on stropping, stropping on newspaper, as well as other alternatives - all here.

If you are nervous, practice without using a razor until you build-up some hand-eye-ear co-ordination, perhaps using a butterknife. Learning the 'flick' at the end of the stropping motion is crucial, so practice that a lot. also google youtube for razor stropping videos to give you a sense of speed, etc.

Above all, don't panic - it will come, in it's own time, but like everything else in life that is of value you have to put a bit of research and dedication into it first. Then 'dial it in' using something not too expensive.

Regards,
Neil

You've had some great advice here! For the first 6 months or so of straight shaving I did what Eric suggested: jeans while wearing them. Not only does it work, I think it also helped focus the mind in terms of flipping the blade and avoiding nicks/cuts of my 'strop' since my leg was right beneath it. I've also used a belt and the back of a Ka-Bar knife sheath. There are lots of alternatives.

As Neil said, there is a ton of stropping info here in the forum, and a great place to start is the Stroptober thread: http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html

Well practice makes perfect. My blade is 3/8 and it seems to be tricky to keep the edge evenly on the "strop" while keeping the "pressure" on the spine....particularly on the return stroke I notice that the edge isn't even touching the strop half of the time. I suppose that's better than too much pressure on the edge. Hopefully things improve with practice and I don't end up stropping air pointlessly...lol

Originally Posted by kwlfca

Well practice makes perfect. My blade is 3/8 and it seems to be tricky to keep the edge evenly on the "strop" while keeping the "pressure" on the spine....particularly on the return stroke I notice that the edge isn't even touching the strop half of the time. I suppose that's better than too much pressure on the edge. Hopefully things improve with practice and I don't end up stropping air pointlessly...lol

Take a single sheet of newspaper cut it to size & set it up as below with a clip. Pull too hard & it will cup &/or tear as in the pic.
You will save leather practicing this way.

Originally Posted by Castel33

Here is another way to use newspaper

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=lGVNb...%3DlGVNbMvvOJI

It seems to be on how to curl hair!